Off-Grid Living in Sprague, Connecticut

I've been digging into what it would actually take to live off-grid in Sprague, Connecticut, and the short version is: this is a zoned town with a formal use-table system, and that shapes almost everything else.

Zoning. Sprague's Planning and Zoning Commission administers a use-table zoning ordinance covering multiple districts, including an R-120 Natural Resource Protection Zone. The key thing to understand is that this is a "permitted uses only" system: if a use isn't listed in the table for a district, it's prohibited unless the Commission decides it's substantially similar to something that is listed. Living on raw, unimproved land (tent, camper, etc. as a residence) isn't a listed use, so I'd call that restricted rather than open.

Dwellings, tiny homes, and RVs. The Commission has its own rules on accessory apartments and, notably, voted to opt out of the state's Public Act 21-29 provision that would otherwise let detached accessory dwelling units go in as-of-right on single-family lots. That closes off one common workaround for tiny homes. RVs or tiny houses used as a permanent residence fall under the same use-table zoning, so I'd confirm with the Zoning Enforcement Officer before assuming anything is allowed.

Building permits. The Sprague Building Department issues permits locally, following the Connecticut State Building Code. A structure meant for occupancy is going to need to go through that process.

Septic and wells. Sprague doesn't run its own health department. Septic and well permitting is handled by the Uncas Health District, a regional authority covering eleven eastern Connecticut towns. They review and approve septic systems and wells as part of the state Public Health Code framework. I found nothing confirming that composting toilets alone would satisfy them as a substitute for an approved septic system, so treat that as an open question to ask the district directly.

Greywater. I couldn't find any Sprague-specific rule, or an Uncas Health District policy, on household greywater reuse. That's genuinely unclear territory here, worth a direct call.

Rainwater harvesting. Nothing in Sprague's own rules restricts this beyond what the statewide Building Code requires for installation, so this looks fine as long as you pull the right building permit.

Utility disconnection. There's no ordinance I found that says "off-grid is illegal" outright. But between the zoning use-table, building permit requirements, and Uncas Health District's septic/well approval process, getting a lawful, occupiable dwelling in Sprague effectively means code-compliant water and wastewater systems. Going fully off-grid quietly on paper is much harder than doing it in practice.

Bottom line: Sprague isn't hostile to off-grid living by name, but its zoning and regional health district structure put real friction on the classic off-grid setup (raw land, RV living, DIY septic).